Broken
by The Lady Elizabeth
Summary: Set during OBJECTS IN SPACE and beyond. What happens when Serenity's gentle mechanic is visciously attacked while she is working? Jubal Early makes good on his promise to Kaylee when she decides to call for Mal.
1. Prologue: Taken

**WARNING:** This prologue is a non-graphic rape scene.

**Broken**

Prologue: Taken

**Day 1**

_Kaylee_

Fear was not an emotion that Kaylee dealt well with. She didn't know how to brace herself up against it or even how to exploit it to her own advantage. Instead, she gave into the dark, shivering wake of it and let it overtake her. That's why it seemed an alien thing to her when her mouth opened, after he had told her to keep quiet, and she had called out for the captain, throwing that proverbial monkey wrench into his plans.

Kaylee whimpered wordlessly as the large man in the armored space suit wrapped the tape around her wrists. She could feel it tugging painfully at her skin and the bones in her hands were already starting to sit uncomfortably against one another. Perhaps it was in preparation for what her body knew was in store, but she was already shaking as though she had been tied up for hours.

He turned her around and favored her with a smile.

"Sweet little Kaylee," he whispered, his mouth close to her ear. Her body shuddered. "You are my favorite, you know that?"

"_What?_" she asked faintly. Her head was starting to spin and she knew she was soon going to faint from panic and fear if he did not leave her alone.

"Your pretty hair," he replied, running his protected fingers through her hair. She could take no more.

"Captain!" Kaylee burst out in a breathy scream. "_Help!_"

Her "help!" was barely audible. The man's mouth was crushed now against hers and he was moving her back. She slammed against the engine room's walls, covered in unforgiving bounty hunter, and began to sob. He pulled away.

"Sweet Kaylee," he said. "I told you to keep your silly little mouth shut."

He struck her across the face and Kaylee yelped in pain and fear. She kept her head turned and her eyes shut as he slipped out of the armor and tore her pants down to her ankles. Something hot and thick, _blood_, she thought, was trickling from the corner of her mouth. A rough hand tore her underwear from her body and grabbed hold of her hip. Startled by the sharp pain of his grip, Kaylee's eyes snapped open and she turned her head to look at her attacker.

"I told you, baby," he said and with a grunt, pushed his way with difficulty into Kaylee's body.

She screamed a real scream this time, nothing breathy or weak and she noticed that he smiled when she did. Kaylee could almost hear herself tearing and ripping at the brutal intrusion. She wanted to weep, but could not. The pain had stayed her tears and rendered her stupidly mute as well, after the initial protesting scream had let through.

It seemed to go on for hours. Every time she thought that he must be near completion, he would pull out of her body, wait a minute or two then force himself back inside her body. After the first couple of times he did so, Kaylee gave up on the idea that this ever _would_ end. Nobody would ever find them and this man would rape her until Serenity crashed into a fiery, explosive death. Or simply ran out of fuel and stalled, sitting ducks in the water once again.

Kaylee bit her lower lip and closed her eyes. Maybe it would help her to think about good things. Maybe that would get her through this hell faster. She didn't know. She'd never been raped before. Was there a survival guide to the actual act itself?

When he finally did finish, he jerked out of her just as abruptly as he had forced his way inside and Kaylee grunted in pain. Her chin was touching her chest in defeat and the bounty hunter's hands on her hips were all that were keeping her upright. Sensing that, he let go and she crumpled to the ground, a broken and abused toy he had finished using.

"No more screaming, little girl?" he asked her as he tied her feet together. Kaylee didn't say a word. He patted her behind and she yelped softly. "That's my girl."


	2. Hide

Chapter 1: Hide

**Day 1**

_Kaylee_

Kaylee was trembling as hard as an autumn leaf about to snap off of its twig. River's tinny voice on the radio had put a little bravery back into her stomach, so she was able to untie herself without a wild, animal need to run. That's what she felt now. It was in her stomach, in her heart, everywhere. For whatever reason, her assault had changed something fundamental inside of her so that she was no longer a reasoning woman, but now had become a small, frightened young animal. Where the animal would be darting, her eyes and mind were jumping from thing to thing, never daring to stay in one place for too long.

_In case he came back_, she thought with a shudder.

It didn't help that she could feel a trail of blood leaking from inside of her, running down her leg, hidden by her coveralls. It was a reminder of what he could do and what he would do. Kaylee had never been raped before today, so she had no idea that how brutal Early really had been with her. Since she also spent little time with women who weren't mercenaries, she had nothing at all to compare this to. Her utter lack of experience was leaving out the important information that when he came back, he could do so much worse to her.

With baited breath, Kaylee silently slid open the doors of the engine room. There he was, up on the bridge like he owned _Serenity_, talking to someone. It looked like Simon from here, but she couldn't be sure. Actually, she didn't _want_ to be sure. She didn't want _her_ Simon in any kind of danger, especially the kind of danger that was dealt from a cold-blooded rapist. Kaylee's fingers turned white from holding on to the door frame for such a long time. Then she remembered what she had to do. What River had told her to do.

With a screaming warning inside of her head, for she had pressed her lips firmly together, Kaylee slipped out into the hall. She froze for a moment, eyes growing as wide as saucers when she thought that she saw the bounty hunter turn so that he could see her battered body and even more battered psyche. He made no indication that this was the case and Kaylee exhaled softly. She looked up at the locking device on the wall. In a matter of moments, she figured out what he had done and undid it, watching the lights go off as the bunks were unlocked.

Kaylee swallowed hard and fought the urge to run to one of the men, the captain or Jayne or Wash, to protect her from him. She knew it was a stupid idea, though, the kind that got people hurt or maybe even killed. So, she stared in longing at the open bunks, filled with her friends and her protectors on _Serenity_ and had to make the decision to stay away. Something about it made her feel sick to her stomach, but that could've been the beating she had taken, and Kaylee decided to run away. She needed to get the hell away from the bounty hunter, no matter what she did.

So, on softly padded feet, she raced through the ship, quick as her body would take her, down into the cargo bay. She stayed down there, breathing harder than a run that distance would normally tax her and felt that her legs starting to turn into jelly. Her body was simply in no shape to be running anywhere, especially across the lengths of _Serenity._

A burning flash of fear raced across her field of vision. He would come down here and find her, she suddenly knew. He would come down to the cargo bay after killing the captain, maybe he locked them in to gas them, and would celebrate his little plan gone almost perfectly by hurting her again. He would force her to do all manner of disgusting, degrading, and painful things for escaping and attempting freeing the captain and the rest of the crew. If she was lucky, he'd leave her on _Serenity_ with her dead crew, it she was unlucky, he'd drag Kaylee along with River to the core, using Kaylee whenever he felt like it or until she was no longer of any use to him.

Kaylee forced her body to run over to Mal's favorite smuggling spot. She pushed the paneling to the side and slipped inside the dark space. It took twice as long to drag the paneling back in place from the inside, but she managed it. The thought of his hands on her body made her manage it. She swallowed again and again, backed up and hit her head on the low ceiling. Kaylee sank down hard and gasped. Then she let go.

Falling onto her side, the little mechanic began to weep miserably, pressing the heels of her hands to her eyes as she did. Everything ached or hurt in some way. She could die in this little prison and it would be all right. At least, it would take the pain and humiliation away. Right now, both were threatening to overcome her and she had no clue how to cope with either. She had been shot once, but everything had happened so quickly that she barely remembered any pain at all. As for humiliation this deep? No. No, she had never experienced anything like this before.

_I've never been raped before._

Kaylee wiped her cheek with the back of her hand, only noticing that it made her skin slick and wet, not the sheer amount of tears she had already cried. She slid backwards until her back was once more pressed up against metal. But, this was not a protesting _Serenity_, screaming at the violation of her beloved little mechanic. This was a protecting _Serenity_, one that was sheltering that mechanic whom she could now help.

Kaylee patted the wall and closed her eyes. River had the right idea, becoming one with _Serenity_, that is. It was too bad that Kaylee thought herself too stupid to know how to do so. She only knew how to touch _Serenity_ in ways that would make her fly true; she didn't know how to escape into her beloved ship.

As time passed, the young woman slipped in and out of the daze that the darkness, her tears and exhaustion, and her injuries were putting her into. She used one arm as a pillow of sorts, while the other's hand was pushed down Kaylee's coveralls, trying to stopper the bleeding that was taking place between her legs. She felt sure that she was bleeding to death ever so slowly.

Gradually, exhaustion took over and Kaylee found herself slipping deeper and deeper into her dozing state. The relief of sleep was welcome and the mechanic let herself succumb to it.

_

* * *

_

River

"Thank _God_, River!" Simon gasped, his face white as a sheet. He looked pain, harrowed, and completely exhausted. River touched his cheek and he closed his eyes, leaning into her touch. River quickly wrapped her arms around her older brother and held him close to her body. He had a bullet in his thigh because of her. She pulled back slightly after a few needed moments of closeness.

"Are you all right?" she asked softly, bending to examine his wound. Her fingers grazed over it gentle and Simon whimpered. River looked up at him quickly and Simon was staring back at her in disbelief.

"You just tricked your way out of becoming someone's _bounty_ and you want to know if _I'm_ OK?" he asked and she smiled. Sweet Simon. He was truly the more altruistic of the Tam children. He had always been the giver and the one who did the watching while River's imagination and sharp wit made her the take and the doer. Ever since rescuing her from the clutches of the "school" where River had been held hostage, Simon had taken on the role of the doer as well, frantically doing whatever it took to keep his little sister safe. River stroked her fingers through her brother's thick hair.

"I'm _fine_. I had fun," she told him, though that wasn't exactly the case. True, it had been fun to torture Early in ways that he didn't quite understand, especially after what he had done to Kaylee, but facing up to the fact that it was a reality that nobody wanted her on Serenity, at least on a epidermal level, was painful.

River looked around the room. Mal, Zoe, Wash, Simon, and her. No Kaylee. "Where's Kaylee?" she asked aloud. Mal and Wash exchanged looks.

"In the engine room," Wash suggested.

River shook her head. "No, he _hurt_ Kaylee," she said, breaking the news as she stood, leaving Simon's side. "He really hurt her."

Mal swore. "Where is she, River?"

"That's what I asked _you_," River said, feeling panic well up inside of her. Why did everyone else always have to be in charge? Couldn't they let her lead them to where Kaylee was? She'd find faster than anyone else on this ship, she knew. Then River stopped moving and closed her eyes as the adults in the room quickly made up plans to search for Kaylee on Serenity. River would just feel her way to her friend, like she always did. Of course, that would require calm and patience. She opened her eyes and glanced down to Simon.

"I have to find Kaylee," she told him. He nodded.

"Then find a way to bring her back to me," he said, his voice tight with an emotion River didn't quite understand. Maybe once she was in love she would. "If she's hurt-"

"_I'll_ protect her," River promised.

She walked away from the infirmary where Zoe and Book were helping her brother up onto the table to extract the bullet from his leg. He had been so brave, diving into Jubal Early like that, going mad with the idea of losing his baby sister. She wished that she could've told him her secret, very nuanced plan. Instead, she had to whisper him to quiet after he was beaten down by Early and struggling desperately to keep her safe.

Kaylee wasn't far away, River knew. Did it really take a physic to know that she was hurting and scared? River shook her head and followed the garbled stream of consciousness that was making up Kaylee now. Normally, it was easy to find her, hers was the brightest and most light-infused of the auras on this ship, but now she was just as muddy as the captain on one of his worst days. Still, River kept walking towards her friend, fear mixing into her blood stream with each footstep that she took.

Eventually, she found herself on the floor of the cargo bay and it became clear to her where Kaylee was. She knelt down in front of Mal's favorite smuggling compartment.

"Kaylee?" she asked softly. She placed her fingers on the metal standing between the two friends. She had the sudden desire to be able to simply will away things she didn't want there or like. Then Early would have never have hurt Kaylee and Kaylee would not be hiding from her.

She was answered by a hiccough and a fresh bout of sobbing. Instantly, River pulled back the panel and looked deep inside. Kaylee's half-lidded eyes stared back at her and, if possible, the little mechanic shrunk away. River held out her hand.

"He's gone, _mei mei_," River promised. "Can you move?"

"Not comin' out," Kaylee mumbled and hid her face behind her arm. River nodded then slid fast into the hiding place. "River, what are ya doin'?"

"I'm not going to let you wait alone for Mal to find you," she promised, dragging the paneling back into place.

"I don't want you here," Kaylee replied weakly.

"You want to be alone, I know," River replied. The pain in Kaylee's mind was almost too much for her to stand. She struggled hard to force it away from her own self, feeling guilty that she could do it, but that poor Kaylee had to keep all the suffering to herself. "But, you're going to bleed too much if I leave you alone. They won't find you in time."

"Maybe that's _all right_."

"And maybe it's _not_."

They waited in silence for a period before Kaylee whined uncomfortably and pushed at River.

"You're scared of the dark, River."

And, she was. But, she was more scared of leaving her sick and injured friend alone in this dark, hidden place while she ran for help. Kaylee could very well find an even better place to hide and could hurt herself even worse in trying to get there. So, River did the only thing she could do: she closed her eyes and wrapped one arm around her friend. She'd make sure that they'd find Kaylee fast enough to get her some good, real help.


	3. Darkness

Chapter 2: Darkness

**Day 1**

_River_

It was dark and quiet inside the little cubby hideaway. The only things River could sense, besides Kaylee's great pain and anguish, were the other girl's soft sniffling noises and the faint waffle pattern of light shining into the very edge of the smuggling space. River blinked her eyes a few times, trying to figure out if maybe she could see more if she only focused, then gave up and focused on the warm body beside her own. She could practically feel Kaylee shying away from her.

"Kaylee?"

"Yeah, River?" came the soft, wavering response. Kaylee had the voice which River imagined a kicked puppy might have.

"He _hurt_ you, Kaylee." There was a burst, a sob almost, from the other girl and River waited to see if it would continue. When Kaylee then remained relatively silent, River went on. "I can feel that he hurt you, Kaylee. He touched you in places you were saving for someone else, he beat those places. He ripped them."

"River, _stop_," Kaylee began sobbing as she begged. A pang of guilt rushed through River. She'd gone too far already. "Please, stop! You know what he did to me, so just shush and don't say it out loud. _Please?_"

River was still, her breath coming in short, shallow panting. She was almost overwhelmed by the hurt in Kaylee and by the fact that she was overwhelmed at all. She _shouldn't_ be feeling this along with Kaylee; this was the mechanic's hurt, not hers. Instead of protesting or saying anything along the lines that she was thinking, River let Kaylee cry for a minute or two before reaching out and pulling the mechanic close to her.

Instantly, Kaylee began to thrash and struggle to get free of River's hug. All of a sudden the thoughts and feelings that River was picking up from Kaylee had become such a jumble that River began to cry out in anguish as well, tightening her grip on Kaylee. Unfortunately, the two continued to cycle downwards until Kaylee broke into speech.

"River, _no!_ Don't touch me!" Kaylee whimpered, tearing running freely down the mechanic's cheeks. "Get _off!_"

"I'm scared!" River shot back. "I can't… you're making it too crowded to think!"

There was silence again. River continued to cling desperately to Kaylee, who was struggling hard to understand what River meant and getting nowhere. Finally, Kaylee spoke.

"Can't you see how filthy I am?" she asked simply. "Why would you want to hold onto me when I'm this disgusting?"

"But, I couldn't tell in the dark," River protested softly.

Kaylee went limp and stopped fighting against River. The younger of the two was relieved when the mass confusion left her head, but perturbed when a deep sadness sunk in instead. Before too long, the top of the girl's dress was soaked with tears and mucus. Kaylee's entire body was heaving with the effort of sobbing out the pain and anguish of the past few hours. River held on tight, not sure what else she ought to be doing. She had always tried to hold the younger children at the school (well, whenever they were allowed to interact with other children) to soothe their tears and calm their fears. She was never so good at calming her own and the fears and anguish that were practically running through Kaylee's very bloodstream were more like hers than the other children's ever were. She held Kaylee closer. There was nothing else that she _could_ do.

Once the crying had subsided into soft whimpers and sniffles, River began to stroke the back of Kaylee's head, like her mother would do for her whenever she was tired or frightened, and sing her an ancient lullaby.

"Good night my angel time to close you eyes  
And save these questions for another day  
I think I know what you've been asking me  
I think you know what I've been trying to say

I promised I would never leave you  
And you should always know  
Where ever you may go  
No matter where you are  
I never will be far away

Good night my angel now it's time to sleep  
And still so many things I want to say  
Remember all the songs you sang for me  
When we went sailing on an emerald bay

And like a boat out on the ocean  
I'm rocking you to sleep  
The water's dark and deep  
Inside this ancient heart  
You'll always be a part of me

Goodnight my angel now it's time to dream  
And dream how wonderful your life will be  
Someday your child will cry and if you sing this lullaby  
Then in your heart there will always be a part of me

Someday we'll all be gone  
But lullabies go on and on  
They never die that's how you and I will be"

The two girls rested in silence for a very long moment. River was almost overcome with tears herself. She wanted nothing more than to be at home with her family right now. Daddy, Mother, Simon, and little River. Everyone would take turns singing little River to sleep with her favorite lullaby, but she always liked it best when Mother sang to her. Her mother had a gentle, serene voice, which carried over into her singing and made the song ever more haunting and, yet, something that was deeply connective between the two female members of the Tam family.

River wiped away a tear as Kaylee cleared her throat.

"That was real pretty," she told River softly. River nodded.

"I know. My father used to sing it to me all the time when I was a little girl," she said, her heart aching too much to admit that it was really her mother who sang it to her the most. "Simon, too. I bet he still knows all the lyrics."

"I just didn't know that you could sing," Kaylee added. There was another short silence. "You do sing mighty pretty River. Like a bird or something beautiful."

"Thanks, Kaylee," River said quietly, stroking Kaylee's thick hair.

The sound of footsteps approached the smuggling space and Kaylee tried desperately to pull away. River held on and was once more flooded with a cacophony of clanging emotions. "Don't be afraid, Kaylee. Early's _gone_. It's Mal."

"I don't want _anyone_ seeing me like this," she moaned softly. She began to cry again. "What will they think of me when they see what I let Early do to me?"

River kissed her forehead and said nothing. There was really nothing she could think to say to her best friend.

_

* * *

_

Kaylee

Kaylee squinted at the bright light when the paneling to the smuggling space was suddenly moved aside. It burned at her eyes and brought fresh tears to the surface, which she let fall in huge, fat drops onto the metal floor. Her body was trembling from all of the stress it had endured during the past few hours and she was struggling to make it stay still. It wasn't working.

She swallowed and pressed herself against River, wishing she could melt seamlessly into her friend. She wanted nothing more than to not be looking the captain in the eyes right now.

"Kaylee," he said softly. "River, you found her."

"It was better to stay," River replied serenely. Kaylee watched as Mal nodded. Down, Up then Down again. River's awkward speech made sense this time. Mal knelt down on his knees and looked levelly at her.

"Kaylee, are you bad hurt?" he asked, his voice the tender that he reserved for when a crew member was hurt or suffering in some way. His bark was definitely child's play compared to his bite, but in times like this, his bark was more of a whimper or moan to see his loved ones hurt.

"Yeah, cap'in, I think so," she whispered. Kaylee then noticed that Jayne was also with them, sitting down on a crate, his mouth set in a straight, no-nonsense line.

"Come on out, River," Mal said softly, extending his hand to her. "We can get Kaylee out of there a lot easier that way."

"No, _don't_ leave me," Kaylee suddenly protested as River began to climb to her hands and knees. "_Please, River!_"

"She ain't leavin' you," Jayne called gently. "She'll be right out here, waiting for you."

Kaylee was too weak to hold onto River's wrist as she crawled out of the space and towards Mal. The captain helped the girl to her feet, steadying her after her time spent in the small, tight, dark place. Before Kaylee knew it, Jayne was on his hands and knees and scooping her up from under her knees and back. He slowly backed out, trying his best not to jostle Kaylee then climbed to his feet. Kaylee became intensely aware that the three other people could see her, covered with her own blood. She moaned.

"Please cover me up?" she asked quietly.  
It was as though the men had come prepared for this. Mal dropped a scratchy, blue blanket over Kaylee, and Jayne's arms. Kaylee wanted to protest and ask to change clothes, but she knew they wouldn't let her. Apparently help came before embarrassment. She had never though of it before, but the humiliation rape victims feel was bad enough to want to make her skip getting looked over at all, even she was still bleeding from the place where that man had pushed himself inside of her over and over again.

"Up to the infirmary," Mal commanded, taking River's elbow and escorting her quickly up the stairs. Jayne followed, at a slower pace. Kaylee hid her face against Jayne's muscular chest, pulling the blanket up around her face, and prayed that nobody else would see them, even though she knew that was a pointless prayer. She began to weep again, surprising herself at how many tears one person could produce.

Kaylee could hear the rest of the crew chattering as they reached the infirmary and heard them all stop as they drew near.

_They're all starin' at me_, she thought in a panicked misery.

"Get her inside," Mal ordered.

"Kaylee!"

Kaylee looked up at Simon's voice. He was white as a sheet and having a bullet pulled from his leg by Zoe. Kaylee opened her mouth to say something, but it died in her throat.

"Thank God you're all right," he said, looking her over and not sounding like he believed what he was saying. Simon winced then gestured to the second table. "Put her up there for now, Jayne. When we're done, I'll work on her."

Jayne set Kaylee down on the second table and before she knew it, Book was spreading a thick, soft blanket over her and lifting her head to put a plush pillow under it. Jayne quickly stood in front of the shepherd.

"I'll be taking care of Kaylee," he said tightly.

And so he sat while Simon directed Zoe through removing the bullet from his leg. Any time one of the others offered to take up his vigil, Jayne merely growled that he was doing this for the entirety. It reminded Kaylee of the pet dog her father once owned who had been fiercely loyal and protective of the family and would always snarl if someone else tried to get to close.

Now, Jayne was her guard dog, in a manner of terms, of course.

* * *

* song- _Lullabye (Goodnight My Angel)_ by Billy Joel


	4. Examination

Chapter 3: Examination

**Day 1**

_Simon_

Simon limped out of the infirmary, his face a paler shade than what the rest of the crew was used to seeing on the young man, but still he cleared his throat.

"Jayne, can you carry Kaylee into the infirmary and get her settled on the chair?" he asked gently, easing his eyes onto Kaylee. Somehow, he wanted her to know that he was going to be as gentle and sensitive about this whole situation as she could possibly need him to be. Kaylee met his eyes with reluctance, her beautiful brown eyes sadder than he had ever seen them,

She swallowed and closed those eyes as Jayne scooped her up, one arm under her knees, the other bracing her back. She pressed her face hard against Jayne's chest, and inhaled deeply, no doubt breathing in her protector's scent. _Such an animal thing to do_, Simon thought. Her shoulders began to shake with a sudden burst of tears and Jayne pressed her in closer to him.

"Right now, Doc?"

Simon stared at the weeping, trembling form of Kaylee and instantly flashbacked to the first day he had met her and how bright, innocent, and sunny she had been. Now… _now_, she was almost like everyone else. Like any other rape victim that he had seen at the hospital. She wasn't _his Kaylee_ for a moment, she was just a hurt woman looking for help.

He shook his head violently and stared at Jayne who was giving him a strange look in return.

"The sooner the better," he murmured and watched as Jayne gently set Kaylee down and covered her up with the jacket he had been wearing. Something the captain would've done, not Jayne. Simon noticed it and, strangely, did not like it.

Simon swept over to Kaylee with one of the white, sterile blankets that he managed to keep stocked in the infirmary and picked up Jayne's jacket. Jayne stared at him with widened, but otherwise expressionless eyes.

"This is yours?" Simon asked.

"Yeah," Jayne replied gruffly, slipping back into the garment. The two men stared at one another until Simon once more cleared his throat.

"I'm really sorry, Jayne, I have to ask you to leave."

"_What?_ _I'm_ the one looking after little Kaylee now and I'm not going to leave her so soon after what that son of a bitch _did to her!_" Jayne protested, his voice growing louder and louder. Simon caught his sleeve and pulled him to the door.

"I understand your concern, Jayne," Simon said.

"I don't think you do," Jayne growled.

"Listen, let's not do this in front of Kaylee." Jayne glanced at the girl in question, sighed, then nodded. Simon glanced around at the others. "I'm going to need to dim the windows so that nobody can see, for Kaylee's protection. Do you think you could keep everyone away from the infirmary for about an hour or so?"

Jayne nodded. "Yeah, sure."

"Thank you," Simon replied. He smiled at Kaylee, who was now propped up on her elbows and watching the two men intently. "I'll call for you when I need for you to come and resume your duties of watching over her."

Jayne scowled and swept out of the infirmary. "All right, everyone. There's nothing to see, so let's just move on and find something else to do."

Simon closed the door behind him and dimmed the windows so that anyone looking in would only see a reflection of themselves. Kaylee slumped back against the chair with a watery sigh.

"What're those for?" she asked quietly.

"The windows?" Simon asked in return. Kaylee nodded.

"They're so that this procedure is kept private and confidential." Kaylee's eyes remained wide and were fast filling with tears again. "Kaylee, don't worry. They're just so that everyone isn't staring in at you while I perform the examination."

"Why do you have to do that?" she asked as Simon slipped into his white lab coat and green elastic gloves.

"The exam?" he asked her softly. Kaylee nodded and gave him a helpless and pleading look. It was clear she did not want to have anything to do with any examination. Simon wasn't surprised. Few women did, but it was a necessary evil that had to be performed to make sure that they were all right. Still, Simon hadn't gotten over the guilt attached with giving such an exam to someone so recently abused. "It's to help protect you."

Kaylee snorted and looked away from him. "Just make it fast?"

"I'll be as fast and as gentle as I can," he promised her. Kaylee nodded.

"All right," she said in a tiny voice. Simon pulled a chair over to where Kaylee was resting. She touched his arm. "Don't hurt me."

"Kaylee," murmured Simon softly, unable to say anything else. She knew the exam would probably end up hurting her and the very last thing that he wanted to tell her was that very thing. "Just try to relax."

Simon started with the external injuries first. He took pictures of and recorded the bruises on Kaylee's wrists and forearms. She flinched at first then settled down to watch him photograph her face and torso. Simon looked up at her then.

"Kaylee, I want to ask your permission to go further."

"You mean, down there, right?" she asked, fresh tears springing to her eyes. Simon nodded, feeling miserable and angry.

"Yes."

"Fine," she murmured, covering her face with her hands. Simon moved up to where her head was and brushed some stray hair off of her neck. Kaylee moved her hands and stared at him. "Simon?"

"Not until you're ready, all right?" he asked her. "Not until you're ready."

Kaylee grabbed onto Simon's hand and held on tight for a long minute. "Simon? This is going to hurt, right?"

"Not right away," Simon told her. "I'm just going to continue documenting and I will tell you when I will begin healing where you're hurt." He glanced away for a moment. "Including the other places, like your teeth and inside your mouth."

.Kaylee nodded. "All right." She let go of his hand. "All right, Simon. I can do this."

"And I will understand if you need to change your mind," he told her. She nodded.

"Thanks."

* * *

_Kaylee_

It was humiliation, if it was nothing else.

She knew Simon would never do anything to hurt or humiliate her intentionally. In fact, she was pretty sure that Simon cared about her more than the other members of the crew and would've hurt anyone who did, but right now, it definitely did not seem that way. It felt like Simon's exam was going all wrong. Her face was blazing hot with embarrassment and her fists were locked on hard to the examining chair's armrests in pain.

Kaylee flinched as she felt the prick of a needle someplace where she never wanted a needle to go. She knew she was getting a couple of stitches that would come out in a few days because Simon was reporting everything that he was doing down there, but it wasn't so comforting. Listening to him, that was.

"Kaylee, are you all right?" he asked, his voice far, far away from her ears. Kaylee opened her mouth to say "yes," but couldn't form the word. She was not all right. There was nothing all right about any of this. "Kaylee? Kaylee, can you hear me?"

"What?" she asked suddenly and Simon flinched at the snappiness in her voice. "What do you want, Simon?"

"I'm asking if you're all right, Kaylee."

She sighed. "Yes. I'm fine. It just-" A stab of pain cut her off. "It just gorram hurts!"

"I know," Simon said sympathetically and while she wanted to thank him for trying to understand, half of her wanted to scream that he would never understand, not for as long as he lived.

"Simon," she thought aloud. "I feel like his hands are still on me." Instantly, Simon's hands dropped from her body. She bit down hard on her lip, not even noticing that she broke the skin and there was blood trickling very slowly down her chin. "I feel like a piece of space trash."

"Kaylee, you are not and never will be a piece of space trash," Simon told her firmly. Kaylee looked into his eyes.

"You can't feel how filthy I feel, so how would you know?"

Simon shook his head. "I wouldn't. I just know that there is nothing in the entire verse that could make you shine any less."

A faint smile traced Kaylee's lips. "That's sweet to say."

"I mean every word," he said earnestly. "You believe me, Kaylee, and don't start thinking that you're worth any less because of what that piece of shit did to you."

She sighed. He was so sweet to try and convince her differently from how she felt.

"Let's keep going," she said quietly and Simon nodded in agreement.

_There again!_ Another stab of the needle!

"Simon, can't you put me out or _something?_"

Simon paused. "A general anesthetic?" Kaylee nodded, not sure what that was, but pretty sure she wanted it. "Well, I could try an epidural. That would certainly make this procedure easier on you."

"So _do it_," Kaylee whimpered. She could feel the tug of the stitches and burst into tears. Again. She had never felt more like a baby than she felt right then. "Simon, _please_."

"I don't know, Kaylee."

"_Simon!_"

"All right," he finally conceded. "But, just so you're aware, it's an injection in your spine, Kaylee. And it hurts badly before the pain goes away."

Kaylee turned terrified eyes up to him. "Just please help me?"

* * *

_River_

"Oh!" River cried out in pain. Inara was quick to her side as was Shepherd Book. The girl was doubled over and moaning in pain.

"What is it, River?" Book asked, sensing before she answered what it might be. He himself was no psychic, but he suspected that the little girl often left in his care was. She looked up at him, pain etched into every line in her face.

"It hurts," she gasped.

"Oh, _shut up_," Jayne snapped. "Ya ain't feelin' her pain and that's that."

"On the contrary," Book said quietly. "I think she can feel everything that poor Kaylee is feeling. It's just a matter of teaching her what to feel and what _not_ to feel."

"Well, I ain't in no teaching mood," Jayne replied. River gritted her teeth. They could talk about her pain in a theoretical way all they wanted, but that didn't change the fact that she was still suffering. Inara placed a cool hand on River's forehead. Well, at least one person still remembered her pain.

"Come lay on the couch, River," Inara said to her softly and River followed the Companion as best she could until they reached the couch and River collapsed down on it. "Can we get you anything?"

"A bedazzlement or perhaps a fixation," River said quietly.

They were all quiet for a moment, processing what she said. Book, who spent the most time with the girl besides her brother, was the first to understand.

"A distraction," he said in explanation. He looked at Inara. "Perhaps some music and tea would be nice."

"I've got some Earth-That-Once-Was comic books," Wash said quickly. "How about that, River? They're pretty awesome."

Book held up his hand. "Well, how about a copy of the Bible to correct instead, River? I happened to pick up an extra one, just for you."

River smiled. "I could run red through the contradictions and green through the fallacies?"

"Whichever colors you want to use is fine by me," Book replied as he walked to his room to retrieve the extra Bible. "This will be your Bible, River."

River felt warm trickles of happiness for a moment before another stab of pain made her cry out again. Inara turned and rushed to her shuttle to retrieve the music and tea that Book had mentioned while Zoe sank down next to River. She looked at her husband.

"Who's flying this thing?"

"Mal is."

"You're the pilot…"

Wash shrugged. "Listen, he volunteered to watch over things and call me if he needed me."

A crackle picked up over the intercom. "Wash? Can you come back up here?"

Zoe smiled and Wash kissed her hard, perhaps in hopes of kissing that smile right off of her. When it was still there when they broke for air, Wash sighed and marched up to the bridge. Zoe wrapped her arms around River and pulled the girl's body close to hers.

"It'll be all right."

"Don't know that," Jayne scowled.

Zoe's mouth thinned. "Jayne, don't make me send you to your quarters."

Book returned with the Bible he had promised River and almost did a double take when he saw Zoe holding onto the girl and comforting her by combing through her long, somewhat unruly hair.

"Here you are, River," he said, holding out the book. River took it with shaking hands. She could suddenly sense what was about to happen next and no book was going to make it any easier.

She screamed as she felt the needle pierce through Kaylee's skin and head straight into her spinal canal. The scream would have been mirrored by Kaylee if the infirmary had not been soundproof. Zoe held on tight to River, talking nonsense to River's ears as the pain stayed then gradually turned into nothing at all below River's waist. Zoe was still holding her as Inara put on her music and began to heat up the water for the tea. The cup was slipped into River's hands and, although she could still sense Kaylee's mental distress, she felt herself relax back against Zoe.

"Thank God," Book whispered.

"I don't know if God's the one you ought to be thankin'," Zoe said softly. Book glanced at her, his guard up instantly. River wanted to sigh. "No, Preacher, I'm not picking any fights. I just don't think that God had anything to do with this whole nasty business."

Book sighed and nodded, sinking back into a chair.

"No, I don't think He did."


	5. Guardian

Chapter 4: Guardian

**Day 1**

_Kaylee_

It was over. At least, she figured that everything ought to be over.

All the major events of the day had to be over. One day couldn't include yet another event so major within it- there just wasn't enough time, Kaylee thought. She'd been raped then been invasively examined after the brutal attack. The universe wouldn't be so cruel as to throw yet another life altering event at her today. Would it?

Kaylee dragged her fingers through her messy hair, with its knots and tangles, and sighed heavily. She must look like a fright. She'd been brutally attacked, holed up in one of the spaceship's smuggling compartments, and put through a painful and exhausting medical exam. She had bled and sweat throughout the entire day and she had not so much as rinsed her hands of the grime from crawling into the smuggling compartment. She knew she was just as dirty as she felt on the inside now. Just as dirty and tainted as she was sure Early would've wanted her to feel.

She sighed again and closed her eyes. Jubal Early. He was a monster, but she had played her part in her own rape. Why had she screamed? Why had she been so stupid as to scream, to cry out for Mal? True, it had been one of the most terrifying moments of her life, but where had her head wandered off to? She just couldn't help but think what a complete idiot she had been. She had brought this on herself.

Simon came in the room. No, she wasn't going to tell him that. He would try once more to convince her that she wasn't dirty or filthy or that she hadn't brought this on herself by being empty in the brainpan. He cared too much. He was always trying to protect River and maybe now that he saw that she was in need of rescuing, still, he was going to start protecting her however he could, too. She frowned. He didn't want to waste his time. She was in need of rescuing all right, but there wasn't going to be much left to rescue when he did. She was already chewing herself up on the inside like a Reaver would do. Perhaps that was the road down which she was heading. She didn't know if she had what it took to become a Reaver, though.

"Kaylee?"

She snapped out of her thoughts guiltily and looked up at Simon. He was holding a cup of water and a small paper cup in his hands.

"More medication?" she asked softly.

He nodded. "Yes. Just some antibiotics. To prevent infections." He gave her a smile and shook the paper cup. "And, look! It's a pill, not another injection."

She smiled gently at him. He meant well, he really did, and she _did_ love him. Even if he was too wrapped up in keeping River safe to notice her, she still loved him more than most on _Serenity_ could even know. She owed that love the half-hearted attempt to smile when he tried to cheer her up by making his lame little jokes.

Kaylee took the pills and after bustling around in the infirmary for a short while, Simon left once more. She guessed that he was intentionally giving her some time to breathe. Jayne was, of course, at the doorway, but it was somewhat of a relief to be able to think, though it hadn't been going so good so far.

What if she had contracted GNRY-78? It was a strain of a disease on Earth-That-Was called AIDS, only it had mutated and become more potent and more lethal. It not only shut down the body's immune system totally, it began to actively attack parts of the body as well. Kaylee shuddered. Everyone knew about GNRY-78. They had studied about it the high school sex ed class. It was one of those diseases that you could live with- but not for long and not with a high quality of life.

Of course, GNRY-78 could be carried for several months to a couple of years before a person even began to show symptoms. While it made quick work of most of the people it infected, some people had a long incubation period and could go around happily infecting others without knowing it. Sure, the Alliance had managed to destroy most of the old Earth-That-Was STDs, GNRY-78 along with cracking pox and several others had been too virulent for the new antibiotics and antiviral medications to destroy.

Kaylee looked down at her arm and pulled up her sleeve. Her skin looked normal. Of course, it would take some time for the tell-tale purple lesions to appear, but that didn't mean her eyes weren't already searching frantically for any sign of them. She was scared. Her heart was pounding as she thought over each of the terrible diseases that she could have caught from Jubal Early. He might have been clean. Most people were nowadays, but then again, there were those who weren't. There were those who would actually try and spread their disease once they found out they were infected.

"Hey, Kaylee," Wash called into the room. Kaylee jumped and slid her sleeve down. She stared at him as though it was the first time she had ever seen him before. Wash's face took on a look of concern. "Can I get you anything, lady-girl?"

She shook her head. Her throat was dry from nervous fear, but she didn't want to trouble him. She had already troubled everyone enough as it was.

Wash shrugged. "Let me know if you need anything at all, Kaylee," he told her before walking away and past the infirmary.

Kaylee closed her eyes and suddenly he was in front of her again. She grasped the sides of the chair tightly and bit down hard on her lip, but refused to open her eyes. She wasn't going to be so scared that she couldn't even close her own eyes. She _wasn't_.

As she watched the film playing in her own mind, Early slammed her back against the engine room's wall. She saw her mouth open in a protest of pain and saw Early plaster his own mouth over hers. His hands were making quick work of her clothing, ripping her favorite coveralls and leaving her naked from the waist down. He thrust into her once and again-

Kaylee gasped and opened her eyes. She _couldn't_. She couldn't face what had happened to her again. Not so soon. She suddenly pressed a hand over her mouth in horror and looked around the room in distress.

What if she were pregnant? What if that bastard had gotten her pregnant and she was carrying his little spawn in her belly right now?

"_God_," Kaylee whispered. She could feel hot tears start to leak down her cheeks. "Oh, God, no. Please, God, no."

What would she do with the child? After all, half of the baby would be her. What would Simon think if she had this baby anyways? Would it be like cheating on him in some kind of perverse way? Would he be angry or jealous? Would he hate the child?

She didn't think so. Simon was too sweet, too caring to hate a child, even one that was conceived the way this baby had been. Kaylee touched her belly. She wasn't even ready to have a child. She was too young, too inexperienced and she loved being free to work on Serenity without anyone to tie her down. Being with Simon wouldn't necessarily tie her down, but she knew a baby would. A child. Oh, God.

"Kaylee?"

Once more, Kaylee jerked to attention. This time, it was Inara standing in the doorway of the infirmary, holding a tray of foodstuffs with a cup steaming from hot tea. The tea was obviously Inara's.

"Hi," Kaylee said weakly, slumping back against her chair. She was suddenly very tired. "Come on in."

"I brought you dinner," Inara said softly, closing the door behind her. "I figured that you hadn't eaten much and, besides, Mal was making a big fuss about how someone should come and feed you."

"Like I'm a baby or something."

Inara smiled. "Something like that." She set the tray on one of the metal carts and slid the whole thing over to Kaylee's side. "You'll like this. Mal actually cooked something this time."

"Mal cooked?" Kaylee asked, sitting up a little straighter to look at her food tray.

"Yes, and he used some of the dried and frozen foods that we had in storage," Inara reported. Kaylee didn't need Inara to tell her that Mal was trying to make up for Kaylee's horrific day with fresher food than usual for dinner. She smiled slightly down at the food and picked up the fork beside the plate.

"Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt to try it," she said. "Even _if_ Mal did make it."

She chewed the mess of vegetables in her mouth thoughtfully, grateful to Mal for his attempt to try and make it up to her. Kaylee knew that he was probably at a loss for what to do for her right now, what with his normal reaction being to avenge such a crime. Of course, Early was already floating off in space, probably to die alone, cold, and without any air left in his lungs. So, there was nothing Mal could do that hadn't already been done. Kaylee wondered if Mal would've done things differently, if he would've insisted on really hurting Early before he killed him, had he known what had been done to Kaylee. She decided that she didn't much want to think about it.

Kaylee pushed another bite of food into her mouth and began to chew slowly.

"I'm sorry that I haven't been in here with you much," Inara said quietly, bringing the cup of tea to her mouth and taking a small sip. "There's no excuse for my behavior. I just… well, I was hoping that if I stayed out of the way… that is to say…"

"It's all right," Kaylee replied quietly. She stared down at her food. Two bites and she wanted no more of it. "I understand."

"It's not all right, Kaylee, love, it's-"

"Please, Inara," Kaylee said quickly. "Not now. Not today. I don't have anymore left in me. Please?"

Inara nodded, tears standing in her eyes. Kaylee knew what she was trying to say and forgave her immediately for any kind of sin that the older woman thought that she had committed. She knew that Inara felt somewhat responsible for the young mechanic, felt something of a mentor to the girl, and she knew that Inara must be feeling pretty miserable about the whole affair. Kaylee didn't need to be a psychic like River to know that Inara was probably feeling responsible for what happened to Kaylee and was probably racking her brain for ways to try and make things right between them. Kaylee didn't know quite how to tell her that things were already all right between them and that Inara needn't feel any blame or guilt for what happened.

"It's all right," Kaylee said quietly. "Please don't cry. You'll make me start."

"Right. Of course." Inara brushed at her eyes and gave Kaylee a bright smile which only made Kaylee laugh at her attempt to be cheerful.

"What's so funny?" Simon asked as he entered the infirmary. The woman glanced at one another. "What? An inside joke?"

"Sort of," Kaylee said softly. She was starting to feel tired of everyone's questions. Even Simon's.

Simon glanced at the clock on the wall. "Kaylee, I know that you probably don't want to be told it's bedtime since you're an adult and everything, but I think I'm going to have to insist."

"That's all right," Inara said, standing. Kaylee could almost feel her relief and felt a wave of resentment wash over her. "I was just visiting. Kaylee, are you done with your dinner?"

Kaylee pushed the tray away from her. "Yes. I can't eat anyways. Give it to Wash. He's always hungry."

Inara smiled. "I'll do that."

Simon began to bustle around the infirmary, his hint that Inara should say her goodnights and leave. Inara understood.

"I'll come back tomorrow, mei mei, and we can talk a little more. If you'd like."

Kaylee moaned inwardly, but managed a weak smile and a nod. "Sure."

Inara touched the girl's hand gently. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Inara."

With a sweep of fine silks, Inara left the infirmary and Kaylee behind her. Kaylee slumped back down against her chair and sighed. Simon came over and moved the tray of food.

"I'll bring this up to the bridge after I help get you settled for the night."

"I don't know if I can climb down my ladder to my room," Kaylee said. Simon shook his head.

"No, you're staying in here tonight. Tomorrow, too. I want you to be comfortable, but also near our medical supplies in case you need help sleeping or are in pain. I'd rather not tote things around _Serenity_, if that's all right with you," he told her. Kaylee shrugged. She hadn't made any of her own decisions today anyways. Where she slept should be no different, she figured. "All right, then. Give me your hand and I'll help you stand up. I want you to walk around the infirmary once and go to the bathroom before you go to bed."

Simon helped Kaylee with her bit of exercise and, much to her embarrassment, with her bathroom needs as well. She was glad, however, when he perched her on the closed toilet seat and washed her face gently with a sterile-looking white washcloth. She reveled in the gentleness of his touch. It felt like ages since she had felt a truly soft, kind touch. She closed her eyes while he wiped tear tracks and grime from her face, careful to only graze over her small cuts and scrapes.

He also helped her with a sponge bath, something that Kaylee would've found intensely erotic had it not been for the fact that she didn't think she could feel anything erotic again. Not to mention Simon's gentle hands felt like the hands of a quiet nurse.

"Too much pressure?" he asked her softly, wiping the sponge down her back. Kaylee could feel the water trickling down her spine and shook her head silently. She didn't want to talk anymore. "Just let me know if it is, all right?"

Slowly, and with great care, Simon washed her from head to toe, even taking the time to rub her feet after he washed them. She asked him why and he only responded that he knew she needed to relax in order to get a good night's sleep, another something that she needed. Once they were finished and Kaylee was dressed in a light gray gown that Inara had provided earlier that day, Simon led her back to the infirmary. Kaylee was surprised to see Jayne waiting beside the small hospital bed, which was made up like her own bed, complete with her quilts and pillows. Kaylee smiled.

"Did you do all this?" she asked.

"Somebody had to," Jayne replied, looking a little embarrassed by Kaylee's smile. "Come on. Let me help you up in."

Kaylee winced as Jayne scooped her up into his arms and laid her down gently onto her new bed. He pulled the sheet and blankets up to her waist and fluffed the pillows once behind her. Once more Kaylee gave him a grateful smile and Jayne looked embarrassed by the attention.

"Now, Kaylee, I want you to try and get some sleep," Simon was saying. She looked over at him with widened eyes.

"Are you going to give me another shot?" she asked.

Simon shook his head. "No, of course not. Why would I?"

"To help me sleep," she explained. "Or, do you have another pill for that?"

"No, I want you to try and sleep naturally," he told her and Kaylee immediately felt panic rise in her chest. Simon took her hand. "It'll be all right, Kaylee. If you have a nightmare or trouble sleeping, I'll be right outside, on the couch. So, I'll be able to come in and give you something. But, I want you to give sleeping without any medication a try first. Sleep medication can become addictive."

Kaylee nodded and shied her hand away from his. Simon swallowed then briskly walked to the light dimmer and turned down the lights almost so that it was completely dark in the infirmary. Jayne grunted in annoyance.

"Ya could've told me you were gonna do that before you did it," he complained. Kaylee could see Simon blush in the dark. "Now I have to work my way out of here in the dark."

"Sorry," he apologized quickly. "Come on. Let's let Kaylee get some sleep."

Jayne patted Kaylee's shoulder tenderly before following Simon out of the infirmary. Simon tapped a few controls on the outside of the room and the door slid shut about halfway.

"Goodnight," he called and Kaylee gave him a half-hearted wave before settling down into her makeshift bed to try and sleep.

**FOUR**

_"Come on, little Kaylee," Early grunted, pushing himself hard into her. "Say that you're liking this. Say that Big Early has got everything you need in a man."_

_Kaylee could feel the sweat of exertion dripping down the back of her neck. She could feel her body straining and pulling painfully as he thrust and pulled back repeatedly. She closed her eyes and let out a choked sob._

_"Please, __**stop!**__ You're __**hurting**__ me," she begged miserably, knowing that he never would. _

_"You've never experienced true pleasure until you've experienced it with pain," Early told her, thrusting into her body savagely. Kaylee let out another choked sob and tried to shove him away from her. Early simply grabbed onto her wrists and pinned them to the cold metal of _Serenity_ behind her. "Now, why are you fighting, little one? Aren't you enjoying this?"_

_Kaylee swore fiercely and was rewarded with a hard slap across the face._

_"Such language from such a pretty little mouth. Let's see what we can do about that," he purred before pressed his mouth to hers. Kaylee was shocked when he managed to pry past her lips, sucking hard then biting down on her tongue. She screamed into his mouth and he pulled back, wiping blood away from his chin as he laughed at her misery._

_"You bastard," she whispered, her words slurred by the injury to her tongue. Immediately, his hands were around her throat. Kaylee's body bucked in sudden panic and she struggled harder than ever against him._

_"Stupid little girl," Early said coldly._

"Captain!"

Kaylee sat upright, gasping for air. Her eyes were leaking tears and her heart was pounding fiercely in her chest. She swallowed again and again, but could not orient herself. She let out another scream, unable to keep it inside of her and the lights suddenly flooded into the room.

Jayne was standing in the doorway, gun in hand. Kaylee shrunk back in fear and was relieved when Simon pushed past him and raced to her side. He didn't try and touch her, though he did move his head about until he had made eye contact with her. Kaylee whimpered at the sight of his warm, familiar face.

"Kaylee, what happened?" he asked softly.

She burst into hysterical sobs, wrapping herself in her own arms and beginning to rock back and forth. "Oh, God, Simon! Please don't make me go back to sleep, please!"

"_Gorramit_!" Jayne swore. "I _knew_ that she was going to have a nightmare."

"Let's focus on _Kaylee_ right now, please?" Simon snapped.

Kaylee closed her eyes and hung her head. What was happening to her? _Why her?_

"What's going on?" a familiar voice asked and Kaylee opened her eyes to see Mal standing in the room, looking concerned and slightly annoyed.

"Mal!" she gasped, instantly wanting nothing more than to reach out and touch the one person that she had been longing for during the entire attack. Mal was quick to her side and wrapped her up in a hug. She closed her eyes and breathed in his reassuring scent. "I'm sorry, captain. I didn't mean to wake everyone up. I didn't mean-"

"Shh, now, Kaylee," he said quietly. "Just hush now."

"Raise the sleeve of her gown," Simon's gentle voice instructed and Kaylee braced herself for the bite of the needle and the sting of the medication flowing into her arm. It wasn't as bad as she expected.

Mal held onto her tightly as her sobs quieted and she felt the medication begin to take effect. She felt herself grow heavy and tired and slumped against him. Simon noticed and instructed Mal to lay her back down into her bed. Mal did so and kissed her forehead gently. Kaylee smiled softly up at him.

"Thank you, captain."

"It's not any problem, little Kaylee," he told her. "Now, get to sleep. You're keeping everyone awake."

Kaylee glanced around the room at the others who were standing in there. Simon was straightening up, trying to busy himself, no doubt. Jayne's gun was back in its holster and his face showed concern but was a lot calmer than it had been only a half hour before. And Mal. Mal looked gentle and watchful, like a father looking out for his favorite child. She smiled.

"Thank you," she repeated and let her eyes fall shut.

For the first time that day, she felt safe. She knew she had an entire crew of guardians watching over her and it would take getting through them now for anything to get to her now.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

Hello, everybody! I just wanted to thank all of my readers for staying with me, even though I don't update as often as some of our other writer's do (and bravo to them, seriously). I just wanted to point out one little thing. I know that there are a lot of you reading this story, but, as of yet, I only have 3 reviews. I'm not asking for reviews to bolster my ego; rather, I'm asking for reviews to get a sense of what people are liking, disliking, possible suggestions, etc. Knowing your opinions and what you think of my writing and my story (and, if you're reading my other stories, those, too) help me to write better and with more sensitivity to my audience. I haven't really met my audience, so I really don't know who precisely I'm writing this for. (Well, of course, I am writing it for my own pleasure, but I am also writing it for my readers' pleasure, too.)

Thank you.

_The Lady Elizabeth_


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